The University of the Free State Kovsies have managed to retain the majority of their 2013 team and will be looking to showcase their brand of hockey at the opening round of the Varsity Hockey in Potchefstroom from May 1-4.
Their captain and National Ladies team member Liné Malan has described Varsity Hockey as the “nicest tournament to play in” and that there is a definite buzz about the tournament going around.
“We know what to expect heading to Potch for the opening round as most of us played in the 2013 event. The vibe created by Varsity Hockey is so amazing and we are treated really well. Hands down, it is the best tournament I have played in and I am really excited about being a part of this one.
“Everyone is talking about Varsity Hockey and it is remarkable to see the growth of the game since 2013. Varsity Hockey has given us [students] a great opportunity to showcase our talents in a phenomenal tournament. It’s nice to have some exposure because the level of University hockey is really high and improving each year,” she told varsitysportssa.com.
The 22-year-old received her first international cap at the beginning of 2015 but feels that the exposure she got at the 2013 event helped provide her with the stepping stone she needed to break into the National Under-21 team in 2013.
“Having this tournament televised has allowed many players to get noticed by the selectors. I remember after playing in the 2013 tournament that I got called up to the National U21 team that went to the World Cup.
“So this is a massive stepping stone for the all varsity players to get noticed for higher honours,” she added.
Kovsies have been hard at work preparing for the event and will look to improve on their third-place finish in 2013, despite not having a very competitive league in the Free State.
“Obviously our end goal is to win the trophy but that will be every team’s objective. We know it is going to hard work because all of the Universities are strong this year, so we will just have to take it game by game and play our brand of hockey.
“The league structure in the Free State is not as competitive as Johannesburg or Cape Town but we see it as a nice challenge to show the rest of the country that Kovsies can become a powerhouse in the game,” she added.
